We are 43 days into the New Year. How are you tracking toward your personal goals? Have you gained momentum on your fitness, finance, and family aspirations? How about your professional goals? Have you focused on developing those team and leadership skills? Are you building that power network? Have you made strides toward acquiring that new technical skill?

Audrey works as a software engineer in a fast growing technology company in Denver. She’s young, smart, and a rising star on her team. She’s got a great attitude that is equally matched with performance. You might call her a “high potential” team member or even an “A” player.

As we wind down the year and look toward the next, there isn't a better time to step up and engage more effectively with your people. One the simplest and most overlooked tools that leaders have to enhance their coaching is the 1-1 Coaching Session.

So - you want to be a better leader? One way is to start thinking about your interactions from the perspective of being a coach.

At the core of being a better coach is the coaching conversation itself. If you think about any good book or even a well facilitated meeting, there's always a clear beginning, middle, and end. The same holds true for the coaching conversation. Here's a simple model to help structure your future coaching conversations.

The word “mentor” is used in a variety of contexts in today’s workplace. Sometimes it refers to a senior person who formally or informally provides guidance and advice to a junior team member. At times it refers to a team member’s direct manager who is partially responsible for his or her career development. In some organizations, mentors are formally paired with a mentee. In others, mentors are simply sought after by an eager team member looking to grow. A quick search on dictionary.com defines the word mentor as “a wise and trusted counselor or teacher; an influential senior sponsor or supporter.”

The latest workplace communication craze called "Yes and" has recently been popularized by team builders and improv folks who've never stepped into the business board room. It's a technique that minimizes disagreement and encourages agreement. So, instead of responding to a team member's idea with a "No" or a "But," people are trained to respond with a "Yes and…."